Several hours into the gathering, a large crowd of people remains
outside. According to live stream footage from the scene, the
mood of the crowd is mostly joyful with people singing songs and
joking. Protesters are demanding that police surrender and leave
the HQ. A group of people formed a “human corridor” through which
they want police to leave the building. From time to time,
protesters chanted pro-Russian slogans.

For more videos and photos from the scene, follow RT’s stringer
Graham Phillips on Twitter.

Earlier on Tuesday, thousands of protesters gathered in central
Lugansk expecting to hear the government’s response to their
ultimatum issued on Sunday. The people are demanding amnesty for
all political prisoners, the holding of a referendum and making
Russian the second official language. In case of no reply, the
protesters vowed to take further steps.

"We waited till 14:00 local time, the time we expected the
reply by. No answer was received. Kiev has completely ignored our
demands,” local protest leader, Oleg Dereko, told RIA
Novosti.

Protesters rallied towards the regional administration building
when none of the officials responded.
The protesters, some of them armed with clubs and metal shields,
have taken over the building and raised a Russian flag on top of
it.

Demanding local government to come out to the people, the
protesters moved to the prosecutor’s office, where, according to
media estimates, some 700 people started hurling stones, breaking
windows and knocking down doors. It took them ten minutes to get
inside, reports said.